pivot shot
- noun
- Jargon
:
tiro pivote
- With defenders closing in, she made a smooth pivot shot to score two points.
Examples
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The player spun quickly and released a pivot shot that soared through the net.
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He practiced his pivot shot for hours to perfect the move under pressure.
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He made an impressive pivot shot from the baseline.
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Did you see that pivot shot he made?
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During the game, he executed a flawless pivot shot that caught the defense off guard.
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With a defender blocking him, he managed to turn quickly and score with a well-timed pivot shot.
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She practiced her pivot shot endlessly until it became her signature move on the court.
Synonyms
1
2.0
An attempt to score by throwing the ball into the hoop
Antonyms
1
3.9
A basketball move in which a player stands still and uses both hands to put the ball in the basket
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'pivot' (a turning movement) combined with 'shot' (an attempt to score) yields a shot taken while turning. While the sports-specific detail of a pivot foot may be new, an average B1 learner who knows both words can infer the general notion of a shot made during a turn, so the expression is transparently derivable from its parts.
Etymology
Pivot shot comes from the picture of a basketball player keeping one foot planted on the floor, the pivot, while turning and shooting with one hand. That's why it means 'a one-handed basketball shot made while turning on the pivot foot'.